UK charities gearing up to provide meals to children

With fears over school closure and free school meal programmes being affected by coronavirus, charities are preparing to feed disadvantaged children. Feeding Britain, which runs a food poverty scheme in 12 areas across England is exploring emergency programmes similar to the ones which currently feed children during the school summer holidays. The Akshaya Patra Foundation which provides hot meals to London children during school holidays is also preparing for a crisis. Andrew Forsey, the national director of Feeding Britain, is quoted “For so many families now, schools are the first line of defence against hunger… There is early-stage planning going on around ensuring supplies of food and the extent of voluntary support that could be drawn upon if some schools do need to close.” The government has announced that school closures could be among the ‘distancing strategies’ employed in order to slow the spread of coronavirus.